Sunday, November 27, 2016

After we moved to
the neighborhood we live in now, I noticed the population here is fairly
divided between working class whites, blacks, and Hispanics. However, there is
one group I’ve noticed growing over the past 5-6 years: Burmese. My kids’
doctor’s office has signs in English, Spanish, and Burmese. There are car
dealerships whose signs are written in Burmese. There is at least one
restaurant I’ve come across serving Burmese food – where I first tasted Burmese
tea! According to the refugee report by the Indiana State Department of Health,
Burmese refugees have made up nearly 80% of the refugees coming into Indiana
since 2007 with the majority settling in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne.

Ok, so let’s talk
about the name. Because what’s in a name anyway? I grew up calling this country
Burma. It was pretty easy to pronounce. The name Burma was derived from the
term “Bamar,” which was the term for the casual form of their country name,
named after one of the larger ethnic groups. Officially, they called their
country Myanmar, which was the formal form. There are several ways I’ve seen it
pronounced, but I think it’s pronounced “MEE-an-mar” by the BBC and “MYAN-mah”
by the locals (both of which are different than how I’ve always pronounced it
as “MY-an-mar”). On the surface, it doesn’t seem that big of a deal to change
their name, but because it was forced by a military government at the time,
there are some ill feelings by some, and there are some who still refuse to
recognize it.

Myanmar is located
in Southeast Asia. It shares a small border with Bangladesh to the west, a
larger one with India to the west, China to the northeast, Laos to the east,
and Thailand to the southeast. It also has a significant shoreline along the
Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Myanmar is subject to annual monsoons and
experiences rainy and dry seasons. Plus, there are regions of the country that
receive more rain than others.

Burmese Independence

There is evidence
showing that people moved into this area roughly 750,000 years ago. There were
also many developments in their communities throughout the Bronze and Iron
Ages, adapting technologies and cultural habits from nearby India and Thailand
along the way. City-states began popping up, and quite a few changes took place
between 1000-1500. Certain city-states grew, like Pagan (yes, it’s actually the
name of the city), and eventually grew into the Pagan Kingdom (which sounds
like an evangelical’s worst nightmare). As the Khmer Empire grew, these two
would be the major empires in this area of the world until the Pagans fell to
the Mongols. Buddhism was introduced and spread across the area. There were
some efforts aimed at unification during the 1600s, mainly orchestrated by the
Taungoo Empire. However, the 1700s and 1800s brought a series of wars between
Myanmar and its neighbors (along with fighting the British and French to add
variety). Concerned about the formation of French Indochina, the British took
control of Myanmar. As the British East India Company spread its holdings
across Myanmar, Indians began pouring into the country as well. There was a
general disrespect for Burmese culture, which led to resentment and conflicts.
Buddhist monks became the face of the resistance movement. Just before WWII,
they began looking at independence, but then Japan occupied the country during the
war. They did gain their independence in 1948 and renamed themselves the Union
of Burma. Statesman U Thant served as the third Secretary General to the UN for
ten years. However, in 1962, Myanmar was taken over by a military coup d’état,
turning it into a Soviet-influenced form of socialism. For almost the next 30
years, there would be numerous demonstrations and protests throughout the
country, some ending in violence. In 1990, Aung San Suu Kyi won 80% of the
seats, but the military refused to budge like a toddler who doesn’t want to go
to bed. She was placed under house arrest for 15 of the last 21 years (she was
released in 2010), gaining notoriety as a political prisoner. Her party won the
2015 elections, and she’s won numerous peace and freedom awards.

Uppatasanti Pagoda, Naypyidaw

The capital city is
Naypyidaw, sometimes spelled Naypyitaw. Officially, it’s written as Nay Pyi
Taw. It literally means “seat of the king” or more broadly, “royal capital.” As
a capital city, it’s fairly young; the capital was moved to Naypyidaw in 2005
perhaps because it’s more centrally located (even though it may be just a
guess). Previously, the capital was in Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon (this
name change happened when the country name changed). Today, the city has a
number of shopping centers, museums, entertainment options, parks and gardens
as well as schools and universities, and public transportation.

Jade from Myanmar

Myanmar’s lack of
up-to-date infrastructure, lack of educated workers, and inflation contribute
to it being one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia. Energy shortages
are common, and the country relies on help from its neighbors and foreign
investment. Rice cultivation is their top agricultural product, but they’re
also among the largest producers of opium. Many gems and precious stones, like
jade, rubies, pearls, and sapphires, come from Myanmar. However, the working
conditions are so appalling that some companies won’t accept gems from Myanmar
(it’s nice to see they might have an inkling of human feelings, but not quite enough
to hold them accountable or help in other ways). Tourism has grown some in
recent years, but it’s pretty limited to just the big cities. Good luck getting
around the country with sub-par infrastructure and police/military check point inspections.

Although there are
several religions present in Myanmar, Buddhism is by far the largest, with
nearly 88% of the population. And within Buddhism, Theravada Buddhism is the
most common. A smaller following of Christians and Muslims are also found in
Myanmar. Other religions, like Hinduism and Judaism and others, are represented
in the larger cities.

Myanmar is a
multi-ethnic country, and because of that, there are multiple languages spoken
here. It’s estimated that nearly a hundred languages are spoken here, although
there may be many that are only spoken by a dwindling number of people, if not
bordering on extinction. The official language is Burmese, a language that is
related to Chinese and Tibetan. Other minority languages include Shan, Karen,
Kachin, Chin, and Mon-Khmer. English is the most common second language.

World's Largest Book

If you’ve ever
traveled outside of the United States, one thing you’ll notice is that
everything is measured in the metric system. Most of the world uses this system
except for three countries: the US, Liberia, and Myanmar. So, you know, we’re
not the only ones holding out on metrics (but, why???). And no matter which
system you measure it, Myanmar is home to the world’s largest book: Located in
Kuthodaw Pagoda in Mandalay, it has 1460 pages and 730 leaves where each page
is about 3 ½ ft wide by 5 ft tall by 5 inches thick! You know, just some light
reading.

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Well, it’s been an emotional week. First, my
son turned 8 years old yesterday, and we are always grateful since we almost
lost him 7 years ago. Who would’ve thought seven years later, we’d be going to
the Internet Cat Video Fest together? Second, the election has got me in such
turmoil as to the divide and culture war we’re going through. I have my fears
for the safety of whole populations of people in this country, my husband and
kids included. I have my fears that we’ll encompass parts of our history that
should have long been left in the history books. But we shouldn’t be silent. We
have to stand up and educate. This is why we study history, so we don’t repeat
the bad parts and build upon the good. This is the whole point of why I started
this blog back in 2012 – because I felt the need to focus on the idea that
countries are comprised of people and their arts, not governments and
economies. And in that spirit, let’s talk about one of my favorite things:
food.

Such a versatile bread. I may make it into mini sandwiches or something.

The bread today is Pão Moçambicano. This
bread is a pretty basic bread recipe that can actually be used for a variety of
purposes. I believe it has its roots in Portuguese cuisine. To begin, I mixed
together a packet of dry yeast, 4 c of flour, 1 tsp salt, and enough water to
bring it altogether as a sticky dough (about 2 c). (I read that there was an
option to add in some vinegar, but since Mozambicans don’t really add that in,
I left it out.) Once I worked my dough so that it was elastic and not too
sticky, I covered it and let it rest for about an hour. Then I kneaded it a
little more and let it rest for another half hour. At this time, I divided it
into small balls, about the size of golf balls or so, and laid them out on a
baking sheet. I took a knife and scored in a slit in the top and sprinkled it
with flour. After doing this, I let it sit for another 15-20 minutes before
putting it into an oven set at 425ºF for about 20-22 minutes, or until they
were golden. I really liked these rolls. The outsides were crusty but the
insides were soft and the crumb was fairly dense. It would be for soup or for a
dip or spread. I thought they were wonderful.

I liked this, although I spent most of my dinner time trying to figure out if it was clams or oysters that pearls come from.

The main dish for today is called Matata. I
started this out by sautéing some diced onion in a little olive oil in a pot.
Once they started to turn translucent, I added in two cans of chopped clams, ¼
c of peanut butter, a large handful of finely crushed peanuts, 1 can of diced
tomatoes, some salt, black pepper, and a couple shakes of crushed red pepper. I
let this simmer on low for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, before
throwing in some spinach leaves (I used a 12-oz bag of frozen spinach this
time). I covered this and let it cook until the leaves were wilted and could
easily be stirred into the stew. I served this on steamed white rice that got
burnt on the bottom. (Burning it is optional.) I thought this was really good.
The original recipe called for 4 cups of clams, but I only used a little less
than 1 cup. I was debating about adding in a third can of clams, but I’m glad
that I only kept with the two. Otherwise, I think it would’ve been too much.
Plus, I wanted to take some in my lunch tomorrow, and I didn’t want to get
called out for violating the universal “don’t warm up seafood in the microwaves
at work.”

I think this was clearly the winner of the evening.

To go with this, I made Salada Pera de
Abacate. This easy salad consisted of placing sliced tomatoes and avocados on
top of a bed of lettuce. Then I drizzled some lemon herb salad dressing on top
of it. To make this easy salad dressing, I mixed together some olive oil, lemon
juice, parsley and some minced garlic. After stirring it up, I poured it on top
of the salad. My son, who is normally a picky eater, loved this salad. But he’s
always been a salad eater and loves avocado. I’m glad, though. I really liked
the subtle lemon flavor on the tomato and avocado. I would definitely do this
one again.

Overall, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. It was healthy, flavorful, and thankfully, there are still leftovers.

As we move into the belly of the holidays
with Thanksgiving this week, it makes me contemplate what I’m thankful for. I’m
certainly thankful we all seem to be in good health. I have a job I like; I
just got a copy of the Hamilton cast recording; I also just downloaded A Tribe
Called Quest’s new album; I’m gonna make a jump on Christmas shopping this
week; I know I’m loved by a few. And the weather finally turned colder, which I
was unprepared to see arrive so abruptly. So, I’ll leave you with the final
verse of Bob Dylan’s song, “Mozambique”:

The music of Mozambique comes from a variety
of influences and has influenced other styles as well. Much of what has become
their traditional music is a combination of African and Portuguese musical
styles and instruments. And because of its Portuguese ties, the music of Brazil
also shares some commonalities (along with Cuba as well).

As they gained their independence, they
began to move away from European-influenced styles to more African influences,
especially those from eastern and southern Africa. One style that is well known
from Mozambique is called marrabenta. This type of dance music originated in
the urban areas. Marrabenta songs are generally thought to be love songs, and
although the word itself is from Portuguese, the lyrics are typically in local
languages. One musician, Fany Pfumo, lived in South Africa for many years and
introduced kwela music into marrabenta.

Timbila music, originating from the Chopi
tribes of Inhambane Provice, is characterized by an instrument called the mbila
(the plural of this is timbila). The mbila is related to a xylophone, and
ensembles typically consist of ten xylophones. A leader improvises a melody
line over a contrapuntal second line.

Pandza music became more popular during more
recent years. As a mix of various urban styles like marrabenta, ragga, and
hip-hop, it tends to be more popular among the youth. The lyrics mainly talks
about social problems and daily life and is generally sung in either Portuguese
or Shangaan (a language spoken in/near Maputo, a dialect of Tsonga).

Like many other areas of Africa, dances are
often intertwined with the musical styles performed. In Mozambique, these
dances tend to have intricate moves and are performed for a variety of reasons,
mainly for rituals or retelling an event. For the most part, both male and
female dancers wear colorful outfits and/or masks during the dance. A few of
the more commonly known dances are the marrabenta dance, the nhau dance, the
mapik dance, and the xigubo dance.

I found several groups and musicians on
Spotify. The first one I listened to is Rosália Mboa. Her music falls into the
pandza category, but it stays a little more on the traditional style than other
musicians. I like her music, and I especially like the mix of high and medium
guitar sounds. She generally sings in her local language, although I can’t be
for certain what it is.

The next one I listened to is Lizha James. I
really liked what I heard here. She utilizes quite a bit more ragga into her
music and sings primarily in Portuguese (although there are a couple tracks
with English titles and mostly English lyrics). DJ Junior, MC Roger, Denny Og,
and DJ Ardiles are others whose music falls into the same category. They tend
to switch languages from using local languages to Portuguese or English.

If you’re a fan of reggae, dancehall, or
even reggaeton, I think you’d like Ziqo. Ziqo has some good beat in a mellow, smooth voice. I listened to an album with him and Denny Og, who I think kind of reminds me of Beeny Man or
sometimes Don Omar at times. His rough, raspy voice makes him almost the DMX of
Mozambique. But the music is catchy and has a good beat. I could beat that in
my car.

Stewart Sukuma is a good example of
marrabenta music. When I listened to his music, it reminded me of something I’d
hear on a Brazilian samba album or maybe an MPB album (Musica Popular
Brasileiro – Popular Brazilian Music). I liked what I heard, even though it
still totally reminded me of Brazil. But be prepared before you watch the video above -- if you're like me, you'll need a tissue. Chico Antônio’s music was a little softer
in style, not quite as “in your face.” He also performs marrabenta music. It
definitely gave me that impression he’s probably been performing for longer
than I’ve been alive perhaps.

Another marrabenta group is Mingas. It
sounds like the type of music you would put on when you want to relax at the
end of the day with a glass of wine and just chill. The music seems a bit
slower than compared with pandza.

When I listened to Ghorwane, I was torn
between what I was listening to. On one hand, I recognized that distinctive
African guitar riff, but then it was interrupted with what I identify as a
Latin horn line. But this is what I love about music – merging styles we
typically identify with a particular style of music. They also utilize the
rhythm section quite a bit, too – and that’s always a plus.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Wood carving is one art form going back
centuries, and it’s used for a variety of purposes. Of all the ethnic groups on
Mozambique, the Makonde are probably the most known for their intricate skills
in wood carving. There are three main items that are carved from wood. Like
other areas of Africa, wooden masks are common here, too. These elaborately
decorated masks are often used in ceremonial functions. Different styles of
masks represent a number of things, and the paint used comes from natural
sources.

Another common form of wood carving is in
the form of evil spirits called shetani. These shetani (which is based on Swahili
and Arabic words and related to the word Satan) are generally carved out of
dark ebony wood and resembles some kind of swoopy animal-human hybrid. Many of
these sculptures are tall and may contain symbols carved into them as well.

They also had totem-like sculptures, similar
to those of the native people of the Pacific Northwest of the US, Alaska, and
Canada. Known as ujamaa, these sculptures contain faces that are carved into it
and are often referred to as “family trees” because each face is tied to a
story from generations on back.

Art has long been an instrument for
describing the oppression during the last few decades of colonialism. After the
country gained its independence, art continued to document the struggles to
stand on their own and the trials and tribulations of civil war. Common themes
included not only the civil war and political changes, but the economic
depravities, starvation, and societal changes that took place because of all of
this. It's not all bad, though. There are many painting celebrating their country, traditions, and culture. Two of the most well-known artists from Mozambique are Malangatana
Ngwenya (painter, poet) and Alberto Chissano (sculptor).

Malangatana
Ngwenya

Literature in Mozambique is primarily
written in Portuguese, although there might be some literature written in other
languages. There’s not a lot of information on literature written during the
early colonial days. And I’m guessing not many of the indigenous languages had
a written language. They are only written in Roman letters today because of the
European influence in studying their languages. During the colonial period, the
Mozambicans began to write about their oppression and struggles for
independence. Politics and Mozambican/African identity are also common themes
as well.

Mia Couto

One of the most famous writers from
Mozambique is Mia Couto. A biologist by profession, Couto has won several
awards and his works have been translated into a dozen languages. What’s
surprising to some who analyze his works is that he breaks the mold of
identity: a white man with a feminine name who is African.

Sunday, November 13, 2016

“I
like to spend some time in Mozambique / The sunny sky is aqua blue / And all
the couples dancing cheek to cheek / It’s very nice to stay a week or two…” Bob
Dylan sang those words in 1975 when Mozambique first gained its independence.
It’s probably one of his lesser-known songs, but it’s one of my favorites. His
romantic views certainly created a different view of this country than what
most Americans probably saw or to say the least, expected from him.

The
entire country is named after the tiny island called Moçambique, located south
of the city of Nacala. It’s thought that it was named after an Arab trader who
landed there before the Portuguese colonized it and set up their capital there
before moving it to the current capital.

The
country of Mozambique is located in the southeast corner of Africa. It’s
surrounded by Tanzania to the north, Malawi to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the
west, and a small border with Swaziland to the south. Across the Mozambique
Channel is the island of Madagascar. I always think Madagascar looks like it
was carved out of Mozambique, like they would fit together like jigsaw pieces.
The Comoros Islands are off the northern coast of Mozambique. Generally,
Mozambique has two seasons: rainy and dry. Rain amounts depend on the region
and the altitude.

The
first people to come down here were part of the Bantu migration. They
established agricultural communities here and brought with them practices like
herding cattle. They also had figured out how to smelt and smith iron.
Settlements began popping up along what was known as the Swahili Coast, which
later became important stops in the trade routes between southern Africa and
Arabia, Persia, India, and Portugal. Once the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama
landed in southeastern Africa, he claimed it for Portugal and immediately set up
trade posts. There were quite a bit of lucrative deals and slavery transactions
between the Portuguese and Arab traders up until the 1700s. And while the
Portuguese had control over much of the eastern seaboard of Africa, the Arabs
pushed the Portuguese farther to the south. During the 1800s, European
powers—namely the British, the French, and the Portuguese—continued to make
strides in their involvement of the trade, commerce, and politics of southern
Africa. Although slavery was technically abolished during the late 1800s,
Portugal thought privatization would be the best way to administer their
African holdings. So, instead of “slavery,” the people here were often forced
to work in mines and other sectors and barely paid (if that). As policies were
put in place to benefit the Portuguese population while practically ignoring
the needs of its native population, talk of independence began to grow. The
native Mozambicans began to form a guerilla response to the Portuguese. While
tensions built up for nearly a decade, it culminated in 1975 with a military
coup, and about a quarter of a million Portuguese left the country. In fact,
they were forced to leave the country within 24 hours with only 44 lbs of
luggage; most left so much of their assets and items that they returned rather
broke. Things weren’t easy after independence: they were immediately involved
in a civil war from 1977–1992. They held their first democratic elections in
1994. While those on the losing sides complained about the results throughout
the years, it has generally went well. For the most part.

The
capital city, Maputo, is located in the southernmost area of the country.
Before independence, it was known as Lourenço Marques. It has about 1.7 million
people, about the same as the Indianapolis metro area. Serving as a port city,
it is also the center of commerce, government, education, and culture. Several
movies have been filmed in Maputo like The
Interpreter and Blood Diamond.
There are also several sports venues, museums, theatres, parks, and markets
that entertain locals and tourists alike.

The
vast majority of Mozambicans work in agriculture and fishing. Other economic
drivers include energy, metallurgy, tourism, and transportation. After they
gained their independence, the country went through some economic struggles,
especially in response to the civil war that ensued along with weather-related
problems that affected crop production. A few years ago, they replaced their
currency with the New Metical, and through privatization of business from
state-owned enterprises, Mozambique has went through a series of measures to try
to strengthen their economy and move past recent corruption scandals.

A
little more than half of Mozambicans identify with Christianity, thanks to the
Portuguese influence. Roman Catholicism and various Protestant denominations
are represented here. About 18% of the population follow Islam. Of the
remaining people, roughly 19% don’t practice any particular beliefs or are not
religious, and a smaller number of people belief in something else, including
those who believe in animism.

The
official language is Portuguese, and most of the people who live in urban areas
speak it as their first language. There are several other tribal languages
spoken by significant portions of the population. The largest (spoken by nearly
a quarter of the population) is eMakhuwa. There are several mutually
intelligible languages and related dialects that are also spoken. Other
languages include Swahili, Xichangana, eLomwe, CiSena, and eChuwabo.

Mozambique’s
coastal waters contain coral reefs with some of the world’s highest
biodiversity. More than 1200 species of fish have been identified swimming off
of the coast. Several endangered species of sea turtles call Mozambique’s coast
their home. I guess there must be something in the water. And you know me—I
love words. And I love word games. The word Mozambique is the highest scoring
one-word country name you can use in the game of Scrabble, coming in at a whopping
34 points! It’s also one of those words that contain all five vowels. So, if
you want to impress someone, you know what word to play.

Sunday, November 6, 2016

I had the best birthday and anniversary, and the
kids had a good Halloween. I can’t believe it’s November already. But I tell
you what – I’m ready for this election to be done and over. I’m sick of the
phone calls from pollsters and having my newsfeed filled with craziness. Just
let me know my fate already.

This was actually a fairly easy dinner to make. I should make this more often.

One other thing I’ve been looking forward to is
this Moroccan meal. Ever since we named our cat Morocco, the kids have been
asking when we’re getting to Morocco, and we’re finally here. The first thing I
started with is making the main dish for the day: chicken tagine. It’s kind of
a national dish from what I’ve read. I began by browning some eggplant and some
boneless skinless chicken thighs together. I browned the chicken but didn’t
cook it all the way through. Then I took the skillet off the heat. I placed the
chicken and eggplant in my crockpot, layering it with some chopped onion and
carrots, dried cranberries, and dried apricots. Finally, I mixed together my
liquid mixture and poured it on top of the chicken: 2 c chicken broth, 2 Tbsp
tomato paste, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 Tbsp flour, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp
salt, 1 ½ tsp cumin, 1 ½ tsp ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon, and ¾ tsp of black pepper.
Once everything was stirred and mixed in the crockpot, I put it on low and
covered it for the next 8 hours. Just before this was done, I made some instant
couscous for this to be served on top of. This turned out really well. The
chicken was so tender, it practically shredded on its own. And the fruit and the
spices blended well enough so that neither was overpowering. I really liked
this dish. And making it in the crockpot made for an easy dinner idea.

Since I have an extra loaf, I might make some chili to go with the other loaf. It would be perfect.

Next, I made the bread: khobz. Moroccan khobz bread
is slightly different than other flatbreads in that it’s a little bit thicker.
I mixed together 4 c of all-purpose flour, 2 tsp of salt, and 2 tsp of sugar.
Then I made a well in the middle and poured in my yeast. (I actually had to
pause just before this so I could run to the store for yeast. I could’ve sworn
I had some! You know what they say about assuming, right?) On top of the yeast
I threw in the well, I poured in 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil and 1 ¼ c of warm
water. Working it with my fingers, I brought the dough together and kneaded it
for nearly 10 minutes, adding in a little flour to keep it from being sticky.
Then I divided it into two balls, covered it, and let it rest for 10 minutes.
After this time, I flattened the balls until they were disks about ¼” - ½”
thick, covering it again for about an hour or so. At this time, I put the bread
loaves (that are on greased and floured baking sheets) into a 425ºF oven for
about 20 minutes. I rotated the pan halfway through and kept an eye on how
golden it was and whether it sounded hollow when I tapped on the bottom. Of
course, as I was taking the loaves out and putting them on cooling racks, I
realized I forgot to score the bread before putting them into the oven. But, no
matter. It was still good. Because it is thicker and slightly denser, it makes
for a great “dippin’ and soppin’” kind of bread.

The better to help you see, my dear.

I went with two side dishes for this meal. The
first one was Moroccan Spicy Carrot Salad. In a small saucepan, I mixed
together my carrots (I used a bag of frozen carrots), water, garlic, olive oil,
paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Bringing all of this to a
boil, I let it cook down for about 20 minutes until the carrots were soft. Not
all of the water had evaporated, so I drained most of it off. Then I stirred in
my wine vinegar (all I had was red wine vinegar) and cumin and took it off the
heat. Just before I served this, I garnished it with some chopped cilantro. I
thought it was good, but I think it would have been better if I had used a
different kind of vinegar. Perhaps either white wine vinegar or apple cider
vinegar instead. I don’t think I used enough cayenne pepper to make it spicy.
It was more like a spice-ful carrot salad.

Quite nearly perfect.

The second side dish I made was Moroccan
pomegranate and roasted vegetable salad. In a bowl, I mixed together diced
sweet potato, carrots, and a parsnip along with some ras-el-hanout (a spice mix
that I had to make myself), olive oil, salt, and pepper. Once everything was
evenly covered, I put it on a baking sheet that I put in a 400ºF oven for about
40 minutes. The vegetables should look like they’re starting to char. When the
vegetables had cooled, I tossed them with some baby spinach, pomegranate seeds,
feta cheese (I actually found feta cheese with peppercorns in it!), and some
balsamic vinegar. I was supposed to add in some red onion to the roasting
vegetables, but I forgot. So, I just diced up a little and added it into the
mix at the end. This was clearly the winner of today’s meal. In fact, I am
thinking of bringing this to Thanksgiving in a couple of weeks. The sweet-sour
of the pomegranate seeds and the spices on the roasted vegetables along with
the creaminess of the feta cheese and the sweet acidity of the balsamic vinegar
made this absolutely wonderful.

Overall, I give this meal an A!

This meal taught me one thing: stop assuming that I
know what’s in my refrigerator and cabinets. I swear, every time I sit down and
make up my grocery list for the ingredients in my recipes, I think to myself,
“Do I have [whatever ingredient]? I think I still have some left.” Do I
actually get up and check? No. Do I check to see if I even have enough for what
I’m doing? Absolutely not. And then when I get to cooking, I search through the
refrigerator or cabinet to find I either don’t have some ingredient like I
thought I did or I don’t have enough. Thus, the trip to the store with flour in
my hair and/or face and my mismatched clothes that I usually wear when I cook. I
want to tell people, “I’m not white trash; I’m just a cook who forgets things.”
These are the things life is made of, I suppose.

Saturday, November 5, 2016

There’s no doubt that Morocco is a multi-ethnic
country, from both a historical stance and a cultural stance. Their traditional
music is multi-faceted, and the different ethnic groups have their own
varieties and variations of their music.

Andalusian music (music of Andalusia, or Muslim
Iberia [Spain and Portugal]) is a mix of the music of the Maghreb with the
music of Iberia. Other popular styles of traditional music include Berber
music, Sufi music, mystical Gnawa music, Chaabi music, and classical Malhun
music. Some of the differences between these different styles include whether
it’s for a religious or spiritual purpose or who performs it or what function the
music is for.

While there are certainly differences between the
various styles of music, some instruments are used throughout the region.
Vocal music is still at the heart of their music. Instruments such as the rabab (like a fiddle), oud (lute), qanun (zither),
tambourine, kamenjah (like a fiddle that is played upright held by the knees), darbuka
(type of goblet drum, usually made of metal or pottery), handwa (small, brass
cymbals), swisen (small folk-lute that is typically pitched higher; there’s also
a bass version called a hadjouj), and the garagb (metal castinets) among
others.

And like the diversity you find in their music,
each ethnic group has their own dance as well. A few of the more common dances
from Morocco include the shikat (belly dancing), ahwash (danced in the High
Atlas Mountains, where women dance to a circle of male drummers), guedra (a
type of Tuareg Berber dance performed by women), and the gnaoua (performed by
men to drive out spirits, typically danced with acrobatic moves).

And certainly as they moved forward into
independence and the latter half of the 20th century, their music
was influenced by European and American music along with other areas of Africa
and the Middle East.The first one
I sampled was the music of Cheb Mimoun. There are several Moroccan musicians
who perform their own version of rai music, a style of music far more popular
in neighboring Algeria. The music uses some traditional instruments mixed with
some modern ones. I think the rhythms drive the music—not just in the
percussion lines but in the instrumentals as well.

Hanino is another musician who falls into this rai
music genre as well, but to me, it’s a little more modernized. There are times
when I swear he’s using autotune. There’s something I like about this, though.

There is also a huge hip-hop scene in Morocco. For
the most part, they base their style off of American-style hip-hop. I first
listened to Dizzy Dros. The music is catchy and the change ups are spaced well.
I liked his rhythm and flow; his voice reminded me a little of Cypress Hill in
a way at times, except that he was rapping in Arabic with some phrases in
English mixed in. I listened to the album 3azzy
3ando Stylo, and what impressed me was that the album was long—it had 21
songs!

Another big name in Moroccan hip-hop is Muslim. His
style wasn’t too much different than that of Dizzy Dros, although, I think
sometimes he integrated traditional melodies into his music. The way he raps
was a little more dark, maybe more gangsta? I don't know. I liked what I heard, though; I saw
he collaborates with quite a few other artists.

I also came across a Moroccan rock band called
Lazywall. Most of their songs are sung in English, and I think they’re great.
Their style is an early-to-mid 2000s-style alternative rock, kind of similar to
Audioslave. Ok, I am actually pretty damn impressed with them. In fact, I
followed them on Spotify just so I can listen to them later in the car. They
might be my new favorite band of the day.

There are other genres represented in Morocco as
well. One Moroccan DJ and singer, who goes by the name Dub Afrika, has a few
songs that are pretty catchy in the dance/club category. There’s also a small
metal scene; I listened to a song by the band Sakadoya called “Back to the Age
of Slaves.” It’s pretty metal in every sense. While everyone knows by now that
I’m not such a fan of screaming in music (I do have my moods and moments where
I don’t mind it), their instrumental playing is on point.

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Much of Morocco’s art is a blend of indigenous
Berber traditions with Spanish, French, Andalusian, Arab, and Jewish. Their
craftwork includes jewelry (gold, silver, beadwork), textiles, leatherwork, and other mediums that blend
art with functionality

Architecture here can vary across many styles based
on when it was built and whose style it was based on. Because of its location
and historical heritage, buildings can range in a number of styles and
ornamentation. The first major foreign influence was Islam. They introduced
tiling, geometric patterns, fountains, elaborately decorated doorways, and of
course mosques. The Spanish also introduced arches (although I thought that
arches were part of Islamic architecture as well, but maybe these are archier
or something), tile roofs, and gardens. When the French moved into Morocco,
they further changed the cityscape. They required buildings to be no more than
four stories tall, regulated that balconies can’t overlook into someone else’s
home (that seems fair), and required that at least 20% of the residential
property be devoted to garden or courtyard. Although colors and materials may
vary, woodwork and ceramic work seems to span all styles.

From the outsides of the home to the insides, color
and geometric design dominates Moroccan art. Intricate wood carving techniques
are passed down from generation to generation. With these skills, people carve
furniture, tools, and utensils. Ceramics, such as ornamentation and bowls, are
often created and painted in a number of colors and designs. They’re also known
for their brightly colored woven carpets, utilizing many colors and geometric
designs.

The art scene in Morocco today is among some of the
leading displays of African art. Art galleries dot the country, and all of the
major cities hold their own art festivals throughout the year, sometimes
multiple times a year. Moroccan artists have not only excelled in art shows and
exhibitions in Morocco but many artists have showcased their work across
Africa, Europe, and the Americas.

The literature of Morocco is written in many
languages, from Berber and Moroccan Arabic to colonial languages such as French
and Spanish. And really from about 1000-1900, poetry is one of the main styles
of literature. Much of the early poetry was centered around court life and
historical writing. As mosques began popping up across the country, they also
served as a sort of de facto library, housing numerous manuscripts and book stops
for the people in the community.

One of the most important developments in
literature is tied to the city of Fez. During the 12th century, the
world’s first university was the University of Fez, and it had a great impact
in not only writing and developing a literary society but also teaching younger
generations how to continue their efforts.

Ahmed ibn Nasir's travelogue

Starting from about the 16th–19thcenturies, a number of other genres were also introduced during this time.
Travelogues like the rihla (an Islamic journey) written by the Ahmed ibn Nasir
were pretty common along with other religious writings. Biographies, historical
writings, songs, and other styles were also written during this time.

Mohammed al-Mokhtar Soussi

The 20th century brought forth many
changes, not only in their literature but also in a socio-political sense as
well. Mohammed Ben Brahim was part of the first generation of writers who was
prolific during the decades they were part of the French Protectorate. A second
generation of writers such as Mohammed al-Mokhtar Soussi, Abdelkrim Ghallab,
and Allal al-Fassi helped push the transition between occupation and becoming
independent. After Morocco gained its independence, a third generation of
writers emerged and further impacted their literary scene. Writing in a number
of mediums—novels, plays, poetry, journalistic works—modern writers during the
1960s and 1970s pushed the boundaries of what was literature and certainly
pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable.

The 1950s and 1960s were also a time when many
American and European writers were flocking to Morocco as an escape and
“sabbatical.” Perhaps it was the sun, the Mediterranean climate, or the food,
but quite a few writers spent time in Morocco working on their writing: Jack
Kerouac, William S Burroughs, Tennessee Williams, Brion Gysin, and Paul Bowles
just to name a few.

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About Me

I'm really nerdy. I have several writing projects going on, and I also have a really long list of books I'm working my way through; I'm still adding books to it, so in essence, I'll never get through it. I'm an amateur food and culture blogger, an amateur baker and cook, an amateur musicologist, an amateur grammarian, an amateur know-it-all, and a professional dreamer. Follow me on Twitter: @KayoSmada.